


Cold Ones

by frustratrish



Category: Twilight (Movies), Twilight Series - All Media Types
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-06-10
Updated: 2020-07-05
Packaged: 2021-03-03 23:16:07
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 5
Words: 13,798
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24643933
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/frustratrish/pseuds/frustratrish
Summary: There was a sense of danger in every no's, a sense of want in everything forbidden. We love what's bad for us and Jade Cullen didn't seem to care anymore.Even if it's a goddamn werewolf.
Relationships: Jacob Black/Original Female Character(s)
Kudos: 7





	1. PROLOGUE

~~_• edited_ ~~

There's probably nothing in the world with a force so loud than the girl standing near a cliff gazing over the treacherous water crashing and rolling with waves so violent and roaring. Scattered with blue and green, so serene and yet silently deadly. Captivating and open arms you'll forget the danger it brought forth if you dared it with a false will.

The girl, wearing nothing but her red underwear left while her clothes flew back to the dark forest behind her, stood there, her fiery red strands flying past her shoulders as her bare feet tapped impatiently on the stone path. She thought of it, real hard, while gawking in amazement of the sea and that no matter how much she'd seen it for a hundred or more years, the girl will never grow tired of what the vast mysterious sea offered underneath its dark paths.

Her feet started walking backwards, never needing a moments breath when she took advantage of her speed and jumped. Her body somersaulting mid-air as it nipped her exposed skin until her feet collided within its comfort and her body submerged underwater. For a hundred years, the water stayed clear and it was nothing but pure solemnity. She didn't even dare to move under. Her ears clouded, her eyes stinging for a little but she managed to keep herself at peace underwater amidst the violent waves until her back collided on a stone that she finally decided to come up.

She truly missed breathing, though. Soon when she came up and felt nothing short of normalcy. No breaths, nothing even remotely cold. She missed her feet being numb from the coldness of the water, too, but to no avail, the only thing the girl with a hair as striking as the sun felt was the waves, threatening to crash and bury her more underneath.

The girl fought through it and hoisted herself on a nearby rock. Easy enough clinging on the small portion and with one swift move, flew herself up top like a small rag doll. The girl looked up, the skies finally at peace from days of it being utterly gloomy, and sad, and also dark. The sun finally shone from within, and with it, the sound of the waves and the comfort of being in the open sea, the girl was confident enough to close her eyes all while feeling it shone through her diamond skin.

It was bright—almost ethereal, as if she came out of the fairytale. Like a princess, bedazzled with many jewels for until midnight. Although, at the girl's case, she was bedazzled forever and more, only for it to be her most prized possesion. None shall ever behold, none shall ever know.

"Alright, I do admit. The jump was a neat trick." Emmett Cullen spoke from the other rock past her, Rosalie Hale right below him sunbathing. Sharing all the same shimmering figure like they were all made of diamonds walking freely under the sun.

"It is a good technique. Learned it from Phelps himself." The girl boasted, earning laughter the loudest from Edward Cullen himself as he heard the statement upon crashing course into the water. He came up, shuffling his hair about while swimming near his sister.

"You're saying you met Michael Phelps? How come we never knew about it?" He sounded amused though there was a hint of doubt behind his words.

"We never heard about it because it ain't true, no sir." Jasper Hale yelled soon as he emerged from the water, being agreed by her wife doing yoga positions just a little far from the water. She made it a point to gestured her fingers left to right, claiming the redhead's statement was nothing but a lie.

"Well, family," She started, hands over the waist as she stood up, spotting Carlisle and Esme right by the cliff paying zero attention in their sibling fights like this. They were mostly pointless, what with years of talking about anything and everything, they seemed to have ran out of things to say apparently. "I had a life before all of you knew me, alright? I met a lot of celebrities along the years you just don't know it because they wanted their dirty little secrets keep behind close doors." The redhead winked before jumping on the water once more hearing her family disprove the mere idea though it wasn't really that impossible. Knowing her — knowing all what she could do in this life, and the other hundred more.

"Wait," Edward spoke again, arms around his knees as she watched the red head float freely on the water while her eyes were closed, "So, what? You just — asked him to teach you techniques without any payments at all? Isn't he too busy for some girl—" The man regretted the words that came out of his mouth soon enough when the redhead smirked, the knowing smile written all over her face made her siblings stopped what they were doing when they looked at her slowly, mouths opened, eyes as wide as ping pong balls.

"No way!" Alice yelled, earning the attention of their adoptive parents swimming from far away, noticing all their weird stares to the nonchalant redhead already laughing her ass off as she stood upright and looked at them one by one.

"You're lying!" Emmett muttered loud, the thought of her sister doing — things like those. He was protective about her for so long and they were too old for things like it, still... it didn't change his mind at all.

"No — no she's not." Rosalie finally spoke, knowing her sister like the back of her hands that never did that spontaneous girl lie about all the crazy things she'd done in all her life.

"Oh my god, look at all your faces!" She laughs, holding on to her stomach while continuously doing so, "It was one night! I just wanted to learn how to swim like an olympic gold medalist—"

The minute she knew it, all her siblings ganged up on her as they splashed her consecutively with water all the while rushing her up to the cliff only to throw her down like she weight nothing else. Knowing the supernatural abilities they had, it surely was different from a regular human being thrown away when the girl literally sunk deep in the water. Only to come up minutes later, finding all her siblings laughing together that she laughs the same, appreciating their little moments together albeit them willing to throw her over the cliff once more if she reminded them of her escapades, as they call it.

Jade Simmons sat there at the rock once more, sharing stories with everyone in one summer day, not knowing she'll wake up tomorrow, all dressed up for Bella Swan's birthday party, never fully aware that her world will shift drastically — very soon.


	2. NEW MOON

I was definitely, honestly, and truly over it.

Being away from the family pains me as much as the next person. No — not only was it painful, also very annoying to spend my days in Japan — though it was really a beautiful city, no doubt about that, and their culture is different and amazing, but goddamn it. I refuse to stay another day on a city I don't know (still beautiful) and a city without Emmett to bug the hell out off, or without a Rosalie to tell me my hair looks awful every after hunting.

I need Alice to dress me up like a doll again, I wanted to endure Jasper's drawl over and over again as he read Alice in Wonderland just to get a rise out of me, or see Edward's excruciating expressions whenever I toyed over his hissy fits. I wanna lie down in my own room, I wanna feel the humidity of Forks, and I wanted to run freely at the forest knowing every left and right.

I want to go back home!

I mean, I get it. Maybe it was stupid when I lost my head that one night when Bella made a mess of herself again. Maybe it's a foul move to let it consume me when I was on my blood diet, or it was a foolish thing to do when I knew it was gonna happen but did nothing and stare like I was already drawn so much to it. Believe me, I hate myself for it every day and I went away leaving only a note just to rid myself of her smell and the quench for human blood altogether but — it was high time to be home. Now that I know I'm not gonna lose my shit over her blood again.

I've been practicing the art of not letting it get through me when I volunteered at the small hospital of the island. I was a receptionist, and it was a damn good start when at ten in the morning on my first shift? A man walked in with a bloody arm from his severed finger — all by rage cutting the meat his wife wanted him to cut. I don't know how I've managed to do it without desolating the whole village, but I did. And concentrated well enough I could get on Carlisle's level if I hadn't left one night and flew back to Washington.

Specifically, Forks.

The small town I love, and hate for tiny reasons.

I arrived at the city with a new car near dawn and laughed when it was in its original gloomy weather. The skies were dark as ever, rain poured lightly for a few minutes, and the coldness of it was evident from my car alone when it was filled with moist as soon as I drove the way towards home.

Five months seemed short but actually is a long time to be away, to break all the contacts I had just because I thought I did something really shitty. I broke Edward's heart the moment my feet rushed in for Bella like a dumbass and there were no apologies that could suffice soon when I found that whatever I do after that day, Edward's going to hate me still. I knew his every move, I could see it. There was an advantage to my ability, that there was a way for someone like me to anticipate every next move, and every move I considered that night led me to nothing else.

The only thing that made much sense was going away, and I did exactly just that, writing to everyone that I had to be away for all of us to move past this — for me to realize what I did and find a way to fix it. To fix my shit. I've been so carefree all my life and this mistake took it to the absolute limit. I didn't know everything had consequences when you're already an immortal — but I guess I had to find it out in the hard way.

I stepped on the gas, hard, as if racing my way back. My head was filled with excitement up to the brim when I saw our house amidst the trees and soon when I held on the brakes, my feet stepped out of the car and rushed in to the door — only to anticipate nothing. I was smiling, knowing Emmett will storm into me like a bull, angry for leaving yet glad I was back but — the longer I stood there, the longer I realized there was nothing else for me behind that door.

I stood, scared, for the first time in years, terrified. I held on the knob tight, opening it and watching out for the worst but nothing did come. Only the swift wind of nothingness. A dead air with no sound left in walls we shared.

Nothing.

No one.

I walked up the stairs and peaked through the glass, leaving it to my instinct if someone else was there and when I felt nothing amidst the strange emptiness of the house—I ran on each of our rooms checking to see if they all just went out or maybe there was an event I happen to forgot about.

Yet—as soon as I reached my room did I come up with one viable answer to my question.

They were really gone.

Leave it to me to not bring a phone, to disconnect every known thing that could track me within my family, and to end up here in my own room, empty. Maybe we were burglarized at some point here in the forest when the house was left empty. All my limited edition vinyl was gone, the classic ones unscathed, even Edward's. Some of my clothes were left untouched, but my jewelry collection from since my time also disappeared from its box. They left without a trace, not one thing in my room that could lead me to where they were and I was shaking.

Something happened.

I gotta know what.

My options on how to find out was cut short when I thought of one person that would've been alerted the same of my family's strange disappearance. That one girl who would've gone through hell if she found out the love of her life was gone—or maybe she even went with them if I was trying to stay optimistic. But optimism was going to be far from my mind if the same girl still remembers how I almost, well, killed her.

But I shook it away, expecting she'll understand Jasper and I's actions towards her. Though mine was a little unexplainable knowing I've been vegetarian for years on end. I was just a dumb girl wondering how long my strength will last without feeding every week. I was immortal but the week to week basis was taking too much of my time.

My car sped again through the road, only ever stopping in front of a white house with a police car parked on the driveway.

My knuckles knocked fervently three times. Just enough to gather the quick attention of someone behind the door that when the person fully opened it—his eyes immediately furrowed at the sight of me. "What are you doing here?" It wasn't the reaction I expected from a man who I could sweet talk into sneaking out her daughter when my brother begs me to and I was more confused than ever. Maybe because it's just six in the morning? I woke him up?

"Oh—Charlie!" I greeted, half merrily, half terrified of his reaction. The man was human, he could never harm me but there was something about his stance as a police man, something about him that reminds me of what a true father could've been if he was human and I was a human teenager doing something stupid. Carlisle was a father to me, but he treads on me exactly how father's tread at a hundred year old, but never an eighteen-year-old reckless klutz that could harm herself now and again. "Hi?"

"Hi? Is that all you're gonna say after—everything?" There was not a single clue within me to explain why he seemed so... angry, so disappointed at me that I stood there, fumbling on words I was gonna say next. Trying to be careful and wishing to heavens they drop his daughter in front of me so she could explain what the hell is going on right now.

Five months—and I feel more like a ghost that did a bad bidding on her past life than a welcomed visitor.

"Everything? Charlie, I'm confused." It was all what my brain could rack up even if it's running a hundred miles per hour, thinking through the gaps if I did something before I left. Maybe I offended him in some way? Maybe — shit, he learned about what I did to his daughter? It can't be. He doesn't even know we're vampires!

"What?" He looked taken aback, "You—You didn't get the memo?"

"What memo?"

"You Cullen's left. You left town six months ago." Impossible! "Your brother left her. And God knows just how much she's been—torn so much by it. You seriously don't know?" My jaw clenched, my teeth clashing together I was about to open my mouth when Bella's voice reverberated from inside the house, her footsteps nearing that this time? I anticipated what she's going to do next.

The girl jumped behind his father when she saw me, wide-eyed and crashed immediately on my chest. She probably harmed herself from slamming into me than I, catching her weight, but that didn't tear her away from the bone-crushing hug she was giving.

Charlie stepped back just then, pursing his lip as he closed the door behind him while his daughter, Bella Swan, froze within my grasp I felt her sobbing on my shoulders. "Oh my god, Jade." She muttered, still holding me in a position that I was desperate to know why she's still here—and why my family's gone... without her. "Jade, it's been so long. Where were you?" She finally dragged herself away, looking at me like some kind of a ghost while I gazed back at her and wonder... why she looked so miserable.

There was a feeling amidst her, as if she was grieving. I could feel it in my bones worse that I tuned it out and shook my head. "Bella, please start explaining why they're gone and why you're here, and why your Dad's mad as hell with me? And... And why you look like a mess."

It didn't take long for her to pull me upstairs to her room even at the qualms of her father that she still had school later. Her ears were deaf from the requests and as soon as her door closed, she collapsed at her bed still looking at me like I was gonna turn into a ghost. "H-He left." Her hands flew immediately at her chest, as if shielding it—as if keeping it from falling. "It's after my birthday." She looked at me hesitantly that I pursed my lips. I wished I could anticipate words, too, though her unsure movements were all I could see when she looked at me like that.

"I'm okay now, Bella. I promise." Her tensed position eased up, shoulders slumping down that she nodded and sighed heavily. There was something so dark within her, she looked worst than the time she's almost killed, and that's saying a hell of a lot.

"Edward—" She flinched at the mention of his name, sensing this was already going bad the moment she explained that my brother—the man so madly in love with this girl—broke up with her for the same reasoning that we were trying to make everybody understand. She's human. Mostly it was me and Rosalie, but I thought about how much they love each other that I turned a blind eye on their relationship most of the time. I wasn't exactly the role model for doing the right thing (that explains the stupid diet) but I feel like I cared more for her fragile humanity and our equal thirst for people like her... who could never stop bleeding at a week to week's basis.

Bella explained enough to catch me up from all the things wrong in the world so suddenly and I sat there at her small sofa thinking about the impossibility of what my family did.

That they did — exactly what I did. "And you, Jade, why are you back? Where have you been? Did you—know where they are?" I knew who she was pertaining to and I feel like there was a part of me responsible for why she felt like hell for five months. A responsibility something a girl like me couldn't be bothered if it was somebody else.

"I was learning how to be okay in Japan.." I quipped, finding the whole story of it long and to be honest? Boring. Not exactly my type of stories to tell. "And I was back because things are perfect for me now although — we're the same, Bella. We've been left behind without a reason why so — I, uh, I'm sorry if I couldn't grant you the explanation you need." She nodded, and I felt it again amidst her. Loneliness, true and developing into something worst. "I'm really sorry about what happened the last time, Bells. I was stupid. I was on a diet, you see. And Rose said it was stupid and I didn't listen so, yeah..."

"It's okay, Jade. I understand." The smile didn't last long in her face before I felt it again, something bothering her for some weird reason. "Are you okay?"

Bella frowned at me at first, and it dawned on her. "Oh, it's... nothing. It's my friend. We went to watch a movie and then... he just felt weird. He was burning up — like abnormally warm. And it's been a week. He still hasn't reached out to me yet. And I couldn't get to him like I always did. His Dad said he was sick... but I never heard from him anymore." I hummed, tapping my feet on the ground thinking what was my next move from here.

Since my family ever-so graciously abandoned me the same in a small town with an empty house all for myself, maybe I could go backpacking somewhere boring again. There aren't much countries out there gloomy enough that I could roam around in mere daylight, there aren't so much to do in this life and I was running out if fun and exciting things to do. I miss them but what the hell, right? I did this to myself. I should deal with the consequences."Wait." Bella called just as I was leaning over her open window, "Are you... are you going away soon?"

"I don't really have nothing else to do, Bells. I'm probably kicked out for missing the whole school year, and a party would be totally cool if there were enough people in Forks I could invite, and also, you know I can't stay in one place without doing anything. I'm trapped and I hate being trapped." There was something about her actions, about her worried tone and demeanor that tells she was—going to break down very soon and I feel even more guilty about it.

This was partly my fault, too. I'm not gonna deny it.

"Couldn't you... um... stay for a little more? I have no one else, Jade. And I know we never really got along but..." I sighed, sat down right back at the sofa and stopped her from saying what I already know she's about to stay.

I was the only string left to the memories left of my stupid brother.

"Fine. I'm staying. If your Dad allows you to adopt me for a month." Her eyes gleamed despite the fact that it looked weary and swollen. I don't know how long this girl cried but it definitely seemed like it was everyday. And sensing her feelings within my nerves was like watching a really sad movie with a horrible ending and with more people dying.

"I'm sure he'll warm up to you eventually. Charlie's nice like that. And he'll be glad I'm not alone when he goes out for fishing."

"Alright, Bella. What do you wanna do _next_?"


	3. SHE’S BACK

Surprisingly, the next day at school, it was a miracle the school took me back without any hesitancy at all.

Maybe it's because there's only so few that's been going to Forks High School ever since the town went gloomier over the years, or I was just a convincing liar when Bella urged me to go back to school and somehow finish the year together with her. I had to tell myself it's the least thing I could do for her and besides — I really don't know where to go and what to do from here so I took her up from the offer only if: she lets me stay at her house.

Our home felt so big and it was only me that's there, it's bound to get lonely and I don't trust my nerves enough not to do something spontaneous again — like take a trip somewhere off town and leave everything behind since we've all so graciously abandoned each other. That's why Bella and Charlie made an exclusive agreement for my stay in the Swan's residence.

Those of which Charlie laid out on me, coldly, apparently. And that is: A) I shouldn't let Bella skip school or miss her homeworks in any way. B) Don't do anything stupid because there's still bear attacks around town. And, C) Never leave like that again.

The last one was probably harder to keep since I'm really not sure how in hell I was gonna survive the years without my family. It was overreacting — and I love overreacting and over thinking about things that concerned me, myself, and I. But I still owe the girl a promise to stay and I was gonna do that up until she gets tired of me, and I have eternity to see when will that happen.

There's no way I was gonna find my family even if I ran across borders. We're so good hiding on the cold and dark places in the world, and I couldn't waste spending so much money for a fruitless dream of finding them — even accidentally. So, I relied on my best friend anticipation, and it lead me to go to school with Bella every day, being the only Cullen left to park at the corner of the lot while standing there unreasonably pale and brooding. "You know you could park beside mines, right?" I said to Bella soon when she parked right across just like how she'd always done. I wonder how long she looked away at this exact location for five months.

That has to hurt.

Because it kinda hurts me now, too. Missing the pixie girl sauntering in front of me to tell me my clothes are black again. And to tell how old my black beanie was and I'm gonna tell her to leave the piece of clothing I've acquired from the 90's alone. "I know. I just — don't feel comfortable." Bella admitted that I pursed my lips and nudged her encouragingly.

"Don't worry. In ten seconds, Tyler and Mike will make a fool of themselves in front of you again — oh, there we go." The boys mentioned went down the stairs pushing each other calling to the human until their feet tangled in the stairs from pushing each other, and at the same time fall on their asses, red from embarassment.

"Holy crap. Are you guys alright?" Bella asked, looking at me laughing all while we helped the boys get their dignities back to normal.

"Oh, Jade. You're back." Suddenly, Mike Newton's eyes flickered over mines, his fickle emotions playing through I've memorized his moves for far too long to believe he felt anything short of genuine for Bella and I. Because he literally likes Angela — I see no reason why he kept pushing that thought away.

"My, my, my. You've been gone so long!" Tyler quipped, his attempt to round his arms around my shoulders was dodged easily enough when I pulled Bella away and rolled my eyes.

"Bother us when you've grown into men, alright?" The human girl clung around my arms as she chuckled, surprising me for a long second as I did not really expect she'll be that comfortable to me again. And it was the downside to my ability. I never really know what's gonna happen next if I don't pay much attention to it, like this.

"I glad you're here to keep me away from them, Jade." She said, smiling. And there it was, the guilt again. From being gone. I guess we've made her normal days a part of ours when Edward kept her near, our table, around our coven, and amidst our secretive group. We're like the clique that nobody knows about and never ate the food on our trays, but we're somehow still cool — and still brooding. And now that it was all gone, things changed the same from the only one left alone.

"I'm glad I'm here, too." Though that gladness ran our short when I figured being gone for six months meant six months worth of homeworks and activities that by the end of the week? I almost asked myself if coming back to Forks was worth it at all.

But hearing Bella's scream that very same night of coming back? I was scared, straight. It took cheering her up for four days just to get to minimal nightmares and I was anticipating every inch of it when I already had the water on her bedside just as she opens her eyes from whatever it is she's dreaming. I never found the time to ask, I didn't want to remind her of what it was, but I made sure to tell her I was there.

I was going to be here.

So, I agreed to be the energetic friend, as it seemed, that will help her do fun things however impossible it may be to do so around this small town. Maybe I could just take her to the beach repeatedly, by then Bella will actually immersed herself into the reality that men are capable of leaving — that men are the absolute worst.

Vampire or not.

-

That very end of the week, while I was busy doing my six weeks history backlog, Bella told me she'd already made up her mind to visit that friend somewhere in La Push that day. And hearing the place itself already signified I was not allowed to cross it even if I really wanted to be there for her. "Do you wanna go?" She asked, helping me answer some of the homeworks she'd already done, sprawled around the room while I copied some of those she managed to bring back home.

"I really hope I could, only if this history sheet answers itself." I showed her the paper with all the questions I still have to do. "Isn't it enough to have lived in this hell hole? Do I really have to relieve this crap today?"

"Wait — you were alive in the 70's?" Bella inquired, as if surprised that I chuckled at her expression.

"Yes, I am. And I've been one of those hippies you were calling about these days." I sighed, reminiscing the old days where every little thing was not illegal at all. "I've had a hundred friends I could still remember the names of to this day, life was simple, life was good, indeed. Too bad it has to end so early!" It really is such a waste to let the era of good times end so abrupt. It wasn't a perfect time, but it had it's fair share and I enjoyed the rest of my days. Mostly because technology isn't up to par and people rarely see everyone every day. Hiding isn't such a task and the skies was almost always covered in thick smoke.

"Wow. I didn't know that. You could've been really useful on my history report!"

"Well, I'm useful now on my own essay, so that's that." I sighed, letting go of the paper that I looked at her already dressed up. "Who's the friend, anyway?" I finally managed to ask, knowing who it is that she's managed to befriend with on the Quileute lands. It was dangerous for her to be around there so much, but it's not saying much when she's hanging out with the girl who almost killed her.

"I don't know if you've heard of him. Jacob Black?"

"Ring a bell." I said, not really finding it best to mention that I've heard it once mentioned from Edward throwing another of his hissy fit but there wasn't anything special about it as far as I could remember. "He's the first friend I've had here since we were kids so I don't really know why he's acting so weird all of a sudden."

"Weird like, you should probably stay away from him or weird like, he's going through puberty or something?"

Bella obviously didn't like my first suggestion. "It's not like that—I hope. He just... told me this story about some kind of a gang going around that he felt was waiting for him or something. Maybe they got him to join, or maybe he's okay and feels weird about..." Now the Quieleutes have gangs? That was absurd on its own but hey, times changed. People go through changes, too.

"About what?" There was a tinge of awkwardness I could feel within her. Something she didn't feel like saying. "Bella... are you not telling me something?"

"Jacob—likes me for some reason." She said as if it was the most impossible thing in the Earth. Obviously she wasn't aware how whipped she got my brother. "And at the movies, the last time I saw him, I told him we could never be that. Something he expected because I don't think I can still do that, Jade. I'm—broken. I can't be fixed and he's going to be unhappy with me, we're only going to hurt each other by longshot and it's going to suck if I lose him my best friend just like that." She sighed, "Jake makes me feel better than anyone could the last few months. He—He keeps the dreams away."

"Are you dreaming about him?"

"Not exactly but... I could see myself lost in the forest. There was no h-him, nothing else and I keep running and running and everything was gone. All it was were darkness, the silence of the night and—screams. My screams." I adjusted myself from the floor, feeling embarrassed about our family's decision to hurt this girl like this. Yet even then, it was something the family couldn't control no matter how hard we try. We'll leave, eventually as people grew curious, and come back, when the same people disappeared from the face of the earth. A gradual and restless rotation until somehow, we just disappear along the way, too. I was far used to meeting people I'll never see again in the distant future. It was disappointing, and such a shame to let it end that way but it was an exciting feat to have met a lot of faces over the years of my existence.

"Bella, I know it's not my place at all, and it's definitely going to piss you off but haven't you thought of moving on instead of living in a possibility that they'll still come back?" Oh, she was evidently annoyed right now.

"What?" She asked incredulously.

"This Jacob guy seems like he's good for you. Seems like he's not going anywhere—and he's normal. Isn't it high time to actually love what's good for you?"

"How can you say that, Jade?"

I tried to think of a way to explain it right. "I was once you, you know? A couple of years when I was turned. I'm more wild than I could care to say, I was a complete opposite of you. Because you're a danger-magnet and I wanted to attract danger like it's ever-so in my nature. And when—I met this guy, you bet your ass he was all danger." I sighed, relieving a memory purposely buried underneath all the others. There wasn't really a point into opening it back out to the world but the human needed to know what it is she's missing in this life, what it is she's missing by holding on to something that's most likely gone. "He'd take me around town doing all the most stupid stuff he could think off. We found fights on pubs, he cut off my dress so we could run from the police. We slept under a tree for months on end, just anywhere and everywhere doing something illegal and stupid. He was no short of danger and it was an intoxicating feeling to be with someone you'll want to be with forever, no matter what."

"I chose to live a beautiful lie that everything will work out by the end because, well, what would a girl like me do with a goody-two-shoe man drowning in riches? None, actually. There was none." I laugh to myself, feeling more embarrassed upon thinking of the memory again. "And then, as everybody else expected in my life, he left me in the middle of the field all by myself as soon as he got tired of our games. It was so painful. So, so much. Like a piece of me was torn away from my chest and I had nothing else in the world than a piece of memory of him every time I do something reckless. And then, I was miserable. And in my time, there aren't enough things to do to forget that I harmed myself far more than I could remember. I couldn't eat, couldn't sleep, couldn't do anything until, well, I told myself I don't deserve that shit. I don't deserve being thrown away like a worn down shoe so, I thought, I tried what's bad for me and it didn't work out. Why not try what's good?"

"Did you find someone good?" She asked, making me think of the story and knowing I'll never find a day to tell it. It's like, my own little secret. Something the world wouldn't have known in any other way and it's pretty much exciting to hold a thing like that in my heart.

"I think it's a story for another day." I pursed my lip, heaving on all the papers around me that my eyes quickly darted at Bella, remembering her plan for the day. "Haven't you got somewhere you have to be, Bella Swan?" She jolted at the thought, standing up and facing her mirror while I continue writing on my next history paper about the 60's.

"Oh. I just remembered. You're not allowed near the rez, aren't you?" Bella asked that I hummed. "That's too bad. I wished you could've been there. You'll like him. He's a really great guy." It's nice she held him on that regard, and equally nice that he kept her sane from the months that passed but what's bothering me was how he just magically disappeared like that. Isn't that some kind of an asshole move to disappear just because the girl you like doesn't like you back?

Really weird.

"Maybe I'll meet home some time. For now, you should go. I promised your Dad not to keep you away from home so late and he'll keep feeding me with your food—and please don't. I know you cook very good but the chicken smells—yeah. I can't explain without offending you." Bella laughed instead, shaking her head as she went ahead on door and waved at me. "Be safe out here, Bella Swan."

"See you later!"

"You bet."

After a while of writing fast and messily on the poor piece of paper, I stood up and quit telling myself that I could finish it within a day. There was no way I could concentrate doing homework without being bored and I had to feed myself again, now that my eyes are turning really dark. I couldn't risk letting what happened before, happen now again, even if I trust myself never to have the thirst again. I just wanted to be sure so, without needing to tell Charlie, I jumped from Bella's window and ran through the thick forest.

At first, it was only breeze. Though the paths were drizzled with another smell, unlike of the forest. Like something's been out here now and again though I shook it away, thinking there's an abundance of things that could go on in this forest. Thinking nothing of that distinct musky smell when I found my dinner for tonight and took my time while shaking away the thoughts that things may never go back to normal again.

It would've been easier if Alice could predict I was here but for some reason, she couldn't see mine at all no matter how attuned we were from each other. She was blurry at my predictions, too, although I was nothing but black to her even if she concentrated hard enough. Maybe my brain thought I could take care of myself enough not to be seen in her visions but it was damn well annoying and now I'm stuck here.

Upon coming back to the Swan's residence, I was reminded again of the story I shared with Bella while taking my sweet time showering off the blood from me. Of how I remembered that girl, and how I never really went away from danger since that day I crossed paths with the devil himself. Truth be told, I was even more attracted by it, fell even closer to doing something reckless, even now in my immortal life, even now that I was harder to kill than the normal human.

Edward always asked me when I'll stop living the fast life. One so exciting, so thrilling every time, and one that knocked the unnecessarry air out of my lungs. I thought about it, really. I reminded myself of all the things I could do if I toned down a bit, if I stopped visiting cities to find out the sceneries, if I stopped letting my temper get the best of me sometimes, and if I stopped willingly offering myself to the dangers of existence.

Then I'll remember, why would I stop living even more now that I've got all the time in the world?

But upon drying my hair on the bed thinking about the things I did to myself before, my head flickered on Bella for just a moment before I see her bursting through the door, tears tracing her red cheeks, all while bawling her eyes out — and she did exactly that, crashing course towards the door and falling right into my shoulders, hard. I was held up for a second, not knowing what to do when I brushed her arms and finally found my voice, "Bella? What the hell happened?" Her hair was damp from the downpour a while ago, her clothes equally wet all the same, and she was crying so hard.

"Jake—hates me now, I guess." The girl sniffed, angering me for a second and wondering how they went from something — to nothing. Bella told me all about what happened. About the bikes, about doing homeworks right here, about his promise. How the hell did that get thrown out the window?

Too bad I couldn't cross the treaty line when I made that deal years ago, because if I hadn't? That man will be put into his place immediately he'll regret hurting Bella Swan.

"Why is it that I lose everything I love, Jade?" My thoughts frozed at the question that I fell short for answers, as if I was asked to solve the world hunger that my hands, even if it'd be already freezing cold from her wet clothes, brushed at her hair and soothe her. Wishing now I've got Jasper's ability to calm the human down and just let her sleep every nightmare off. "Life is a one big pile of mess, Bella. You'll be okay, soon. I promise."


	4. WET DOG

"Hey, Eric. I'll give you five bucks if you do my Math homework!"

I was playing my cards right now, distributing all my months worth of homeworks to Bella's friend — or my friends lately since coming back, and paying them in exchange of their much appreciated service. I've been growing tired of ripping papers from writing too fast when I get too agressive and worn down from doing everything all at once, so, I got this wonderous idea from Mike Newton himself when he offered to make my english if I buy him a sandwich.

An easy deal, if I may say. "Make it ten and I'll do it." He flickered over the pages of the paper I've put together for him and handed while we're all at lunch, pretending I was eating an apple even if I could barely hold the smell of real food at all.

"That's a scam! You could just copy off of mine!" Angela suggested though I was not too keen on using my hands again for three months after finishing all that history work.

"Yeah, I could give you some of mines!" Jessica chirped from right across me but I vehemently refused.

"Why are you ripping off of my business?" Eric blew sassily that made me laugh, handing him the ten bucks so I could finally get rid of it. "Easy money, baby!" I rolled my eyes at him, seeing Biology next and raising it up like I'm doing biddings for my private collections.

"Who wants to do my Biology next?" All of them raised their hands upon seeing the money from Eric's hands and I was quick to distribute all of it equally it if meant spending a little money to ease up my days.

"You're gonna make us rich if you skip every six months. I may not need to work for my parents anymore if we make this a regular thing." Mike said, earning a shove from me when everyone else agreed like I was giving up my money freely like a lolly.

They continued to their business of checking my works while I darted my eyes over the silent girl who never spoke a word since that day she went home crying.

It's been another long week and I hate how that made her so miserable. Like I've been seeing the girl who got left behind in her worst and it's showing the longer the nights go by. And no participation from that Jacob guy meant going back to her dreams where it escalated into small sleep talk, until a name, Edward's name, to how she was repeatedly murmuring 'he's gone' again and again until finally, her screams filled my ears that sometimes, there was really no point pretending to sleep anymore any time Charlie will burst on the door checking at her.

And checking if I left again.

One night I tried spending the rest of the night with Charlie, and I could see how miserable the days was for the man, and how it took a toll on him every time she sleeps. "I don't know how to help her anymore, Jade. It feels like there's nothing I could do than sit here and wait for her to stop screaming." I assured him it would stop, that I'll help distract her even more if it meant tearing away a person stained on Bella's memories.

Even if it's my own brother.

"Hey, Bells." I called, nudging her as she pointlessly try to fork out the beans. "Let's do something fun tomorrow."

As soon as she agreed, my mind immediately thought of the things I did when the same thing happened to me. Times are different, though. There's nothing to past the time before. We didn't have reliable televisions, good quality and colored movies, nor cellphones and malls to distract us but there's a myriad of things to do in a town with a forest and a large body of water everywhere you look. Something extreme enough to haul away the sadness out of her system.

"There aren't much to do here in town but we could take up surfing? Cliff diving! Or let's trade your truck for a faster car that could actually make your head spin from the speed. Like we're playing grand theft auto?"

"No way!" Bella loved her truck so I took into consideration that stealing a car may not be ideal if Charlie's literally a police officer. Besides, I bought a faster one so we could use it instead if she allowed me to race through the empty highways but until then, there's still cliff diving and surfing. One of which could either break her bones or harm her again.

What do I do to cheer up a frail human?

"I like to go hiking today, if it's okay with you." My heels turned at her suggestion, "Before Jake — we were able to hike for a few miles but we never reached the meadows. And I really wanted to go there."

I hummed, "Are you sure? Don't you think it's not a pretty good season to be in the meadows today?" The girl shrugged, making me wonder her idea was actually great. Strange. I never thought of going into the forest today.

"We could go and see."

Nevertheless, I agreed. Knowing everything Bella does seemed connected to my brother in some weird way. Like how I know this meadow was connected to her when I once linked with Edward and saw him going somewhere in the woods for their date. I never expected it to be the exact same meadows the girl wanted to visit but for old time's sake? I agreed. Just so she could get it all out of her system once she sees that things aren't going back to what it was before. She had to face the reality that this is her life now—our life now.

And while watching Bella sluggishly pack her bag, her actions seemed to weak, too — slow. Yet it's her challenge to bear. It didn't seem like she did so much these past few days and I'd like for her to do things alone starting from now. Because Bella Swan had to get used to the fact that vampires leave, maybe not now, not tomorrow, but pretty soon? We all had to leave.

Bella Swan had to get used to vampires not existing anymore.

To get there faster, we used my car and made her promise to ride this car going to school in exchange for the meadows thing that she agreed easily so when I let the car moved freely on the empty highway while she held tight on her seatbelt. "Come on, Bells. Aren't you use to danger by now?" I pushed it to its limit when my black heel eased hard on the gas and the road seemed all blurry now. The wind in our faces, the sound of the engine purring angrily from beneath, my eyes darted over the girl and something about her expression slowly made me ease off of the speed. Like she was — looking at something on the window.

Or someone.

I was beginning to piece it all soon when I slowed down the speed and saw her flicker her eyes away from the same window. "You okay?" Bella jolted from the sound of my voice, blinking rapidly until she went back to her normal state and I continued on the same speed while still watching her now and again.

"I'm okay, Jade." She said soon when I stopped on the trek and watched her for a few minutes. The girl smiled at me, assuringly as it may seem so that I let her be as she guided me the way of their previous paths.

Now, the thing about trekking on a forest in humanly speed is that, it's too damn slow. "You know, Bells, I could carry you, right? To make it go faster?"

"That's not the point of hiking, alright?" She said, making a statement as her feet caught on a root and I had to catch her or else she'll bleed in the middle of nowhere again. "That also isn't the point of hiking — but just enjoy it. Try to imagine how to be a human again."

I scoffed, "When I was a human, all I did was run, too."

"Really?"

"Yeah." I said, hopping over a boulder while watching her conquer the obstacles of trees and rocks. On the watch just in case she tripped over her own foot again. "It's a fast life if you're always on the run for something. In my case, well, I'm on the run from the law. And my... family." She looked at me just then soon when I hopped and followed behind her.

"Why are you running from them?"

"Well, when I was a wee girl, seventeen and on the line for marriage, the times were different for young girls like us. We're like... prizes. Trophies. Women aren't regarded much before. All we are were housewives, doing laundry, washing the dishes, caring for your young. And my Mom — oh, she was a bitch." The girl flinched from the chosen words yet it was all I could ever describe my own mother. A word that could suffice enough for a woman like her. "She wanted me to get married to some politician's first son. Now, we're not made of riches at all and she wanted to get in that posh life so much she offered my hand without me ever knowing since that very day she set up our meeting."

"What? Really? That... sucks."

I laughed, "The word sucks doesn't even describe the whole scenario when I found out the man was two-faced asshole! Did you know he's actually quite charming?" She widened her eyes, holding on to my arm as we walked over steep dirt. "Yes. He is. Have you seen a man in the roaring 20's that wore this three-piece suit with a cane on? God. He was nearly perfect — nearly, if I hadn't spent one night with him and found out he was the most disgusting and handsome man I've met ever in my life."

"What's he like?"

"Well, first of damn all he snores like a pig I could hear it from the other room. His drool was so disgusting I could vomit, and he spits every fucking where inside the house and makes all the maids clean up after him. And if that isn't ridiculous on its own, he takes a bath with mud and says it helps soften his skin. Mud!" I squirmed just by remembering how he looked like at that bathtub with floating — I don't even wanna think about what those were now. "And his study was a pigsty, of all the spits around the house that they missed, and he does this thing with his teeth where it turned yellow almost instantly and his breath — I do not have the willpower to say it all." I shook it away, remembering my horrid past and all that it entails. That man was such a waste of a pretty face, honestly. Sometimes I wished he could've been decent to make my life easier but then again, I wouldn't wish different now that I'm still alive today.

Helping a girl cross over some densed trees. "Did you mom ever found out about him at all? She couldn't have let you marry him if he's that awful."

"Yeah, she did. But the will of a woman that aimed to be rich was stronger than her love for her daughter so my family pushed with the wedding — including my meek father who never really got a say much." Bella looked at me with a mix of pity that I brushed away and chuckled. "Don't worry! I never really married him, alright? I don't deserve that kind of husband even if it meant staying poor for the rest of my life."

"Thank god!" She muttered, "I'd run away, too, if I was to marry someone I don't — love."

"Amen."

I smiled at her and we enjoyed the rest of the hike in silence under the densed, dark, and wet forest. Because Forks doesn't suck like everyone thought it'd be. It's a place easy to get lost to but if you just found a way to enjoy the forest? It's calming. The small movements of creatures, the sound of leaves swaying with the cold air, and how it looked so full and so empty all at the same time. It's got its own charm. That's how we found out that we belong in this place. Not only was it dark, but it's got all we needed and more. Including the people that never meddled much, the number of town was so small we never had to worry about exposure, and the places we could hide and find solace from.

"I think we're near." Bella said as soon as we saw a bright cleaning up ahead. I could already sense it was not the same meadows she's been expecting from my visions of Edward's memory.

"Does this place remind you of him?" I finally asked. Not leaving any stone left unturned. "It does, isn't it?"

Bella pursed her lips and nodded sheepishly, seeing traces kf embarassment and longing as she went quicker to reach the treeline, "It's okay if you don't wanna be here, J—"

"Bella, I'm with you no matter how dumb or dangerous we're gonna do. So, come on. Hurry up your human legs!" Making her feel bad would only take her a step back that I supported this foolish decision up until we emerged from behind large trees and found myself right. There were no dash of green, no flowers, nothing. It was all wildbushes, all brown and bland, like Edward left and it rot the minute he stepped away from the town. I gave Bella a moment of peace while she held on her chest, feeling within sorrow among other hurtful things it felt like I was feeling it all to herself, too.

I knew immediately enough that she's never gonna move on from it. Maybe because of the element of danger—like I had. There was something different dating a vampire while you're human. I found out about it while surrounded with vampires all my life and it truly was another feat than being normal and all.

"Are you—" My head felt like something struck it the moment a vision entered my mind. Clear as a moving picture that boiled my nerves the minute my ears turned keen for any movements that will come in — five seconds. "Bella, I need you to stand. We have to go."

"Jade? What's—wrong?" Bella managed to choke out. 

"Trouble. Familiar trouble." I hauled her arms and was about to carry her up away from the place when it was deemed to late when Bella hesitated from me and found a sound behind me. One swift, almost inaudible for a normal human, and one that belong to a person with a feeling that could behold such... anger.

And lust for blood. 

Bella's blood.

I kept the girl behind my back soon as I turned and saw the uninvited guest to our hiking trip. It was smiling at me, familiar curls dropping down to his bare chest as he stood there, proud and hungry. I've always felt something was wrong with him, what with abandoning his friends the first time I met him, and how his loyalty lies nowhere. And his eyes — one that says he didn't enjoy staying with Tanya's in Alaska very much when it glowed crimson, burning from the view of the human behind me.

"Laurent!" Bella blurted out in recognition as I held tightly on her wrist, shaking my head almost non-existently. Knowing it's not best for her to do the talking at all.

"Bella." His crimson eyes darted over the human girl, and then led it away to me. Smiling wickedly it sent my anger into a fucking fit. "Jade Cullen." He spat, like it was poison. "I'm surprised to find you here, given how the house was empty."

The girl's brow cocked, "Are you trespassing houses now, Laurent? Isn't Tanya supposed to be kind enough to teach you a thing or two—about being decent." It was equally the same venom that went out of my mouth, knowing exactly what he came here for and why I was feeling resolute and so much confidence within him.

"Well," The man huffs, circling us that I guided the human to keep him within her sight. His moves were all clear to me and I was calculating where and when he'll attack. It's an ability that's been kept a secret to everyone. Laurent doesn't know I could anticipate every move he wanted to make no matter how many times he changes his mind. "I do apologize for my curiosity. I was merely in town and—it seems like the house has been vacant for a while. Strange." He's been snooping, too bad for him, he didn't know I still exist.

"Why must it be so strange to you?"

"I was wondering why they left their—pet." His eyes darted over Bella's furrowed brows. I was shielding over her, and he was not a stranger to the fact when his crimson eyes continued to flicker over mines.

"Nobody left anyone, Laurent. And I do suggest you go back to Alaska now. It must be nice there at this time of the month?" The man drew close to ne, his eyes assessing over my golden pair, down to the red curls flowing in my shoulders soon when the air blew away. My figure covering just enough of Bella's scent when it drifted into mines, too.

"I find it difficult to keep up in Tanya's—healthy lifestyle. Living on nothing but animals. I'm sure you find it tiresome, Jade Cullen. Don't you?" Bella held on my hand tight as his eyes flew past my shoulders once more.

"Well," I stated loud, gathering his full attention with a small smile on my lips. "We've learned to be very peaceful for a hundred years, Laurent. I'm sure you'll find it very effective to alleviate certain—urges." I was tired of playing games at this point. There was no sense going into it more now that he was even more sure of his decisions to attack me two minutes from here. "Now, we're just two girls on a hiking trip and I'm sure you have a lot of things to do away from Forks. Right?" Slowly, I started backing Bella up on the tree line the more his decision started getting clearer in my head. Though, he spoke again, one that made my hand shake convulsingly from the sound of it.

"I know a pretty girl with hair more striking than your own. And I've come to honor a favor she asked of me."

"V-Victoria?" Bella muttered without thinking, looking back at Laurent from the sliver of courage that escaped within the burst of adrenaline. "You're still friends." Shit. Not now.

"More or less. She asked me to get the lay of the land with the Cullens. Because, well... I'm afraid Victoria is quite put out with you." Goddamn it.

"You know," I finally interjected, "I'm more put out with her do you reckon you could give me her location right now? I'd really like to tear off all her limbs and burn her to shreds." Laurent laugh at that, loud as he shook his head in mere disbelief. "Like what I did with her stupid mate." The smile went out of his face faster than lightning, knowing I struck a nerve when his nose flared in anger.

"My, my, Jade Cullen. You never changed."

"You'll regret coming back here, Laurent. You'll regret honoring a favor from a cowardly bitch."

"No one's gonna save your pretty little face today if you tempt me." He threatend, coming into a stance that I held Bella and pointed the hand on my back to the way of the trees. "I'm only going to kill you, and drink her blood all for myself. Victoria is my friend, but I'm sure she'll forgive me for it."

"Jade." Bella murmured behind, her voice shaking at the threat.

"She smells so... mouth-watering." I would've gladly given him a chance to run back if he hadn't said those words, pushing Bella away while my hands collided on Laurent's chest with a sickening crack that webbed up until his neck when he ended up at the other side of the field.

"You look surprised?" I teased as he seethed with rage.

"I'm giving you a chance, Jade Cullen!"

Yet I only cocked my head to the side when I could still smell Bella behind me, "Hey, Bells. It's probably time for you to run." I already anticipated his run that when he was confident of me not moving at all, he went for the kill only to be stopped by my fingers when I held on his purple suit and dragged him on the dirt with another crack. As if the earth shook the minute my fist collided hard on its pallid face, one after the other he only managed to escape when he used his feet to haul my head away, throwing me a few feet as he spat on and ran into me.

My hands caught his feet from the speed he made, holding it tight while the other held for his long and very useful hair, to sent him flying away once more. Taking it as a chance to run near Bella who sat frozen on the floor, with attempts to run us back to safety when — something smelled funny for a moment.

I know that smell. I sensed it on Bella's backyard more than once. That smell of something musky, earthy, like suddenly I could use my nose perfectly again when it was nothing but revolting to me.

Like — a wet dog smell.

"Jade!" Bella's voice pulled me out of the reverie soon when a jet-black figure emerged from the other side of the forest. Over ten feet high with eyes as dark and sharp like an eagle, slowly snarling feverish with it's sharp teeth and muzzle pointed right at us. "Don't move, Bella." The animal standing before us were only a myth for vampires who never crossed our territory. They stalk in the night, quiet and deadly enemies of our king that I stood tall, ready for what it is that's about to come when I couldn't see anything — from them.

I was blinded from their moves.

My head turned when Laurent started inching near the trees, and he couldn't escape that I risk a small step to my right only to be growled by a wolf — and several more eyes appearing behind it. Bella ran close to me, holding on me tight as she stood in between, my eyesight away from the threatening creatures when they moved with haste towards Laurent's escape through the field. Each and every one of them big and fast, and truly a sight to see.

The creature bearing the color of the night inched closer to us, its deep set of eyes calculating before it disappeared — and went away. "What the hell was that?!"


	5. RUSSET WOLF

"Jade, I swear if you don't tell me what they are I'll scream! Right now!"

"Then scream."

The drive back home was even faster than the speed this morning. Pushing the car to the limit when my head couldn't wrap around the fact that things aren't so perfect than we left it to be. It's supposed to be one time! It was supposed to be over the minute I crushed that tracker's eyes, the minute we tore him to shreds and burned him with pieces of the floorboard! It was supposed to be over by the time we saved Bella Swan from the hands of the man that haunted Alice's past just the same but — oh, no. His mate had blood to square and with it, the unloyal man of their coven coming back for blood.

And those — creatures!

And here I am, driving way past the limit Charlie's gonna bust my ass for this but I couldn't stay still without ever knowing if the — wolves were as reliable as their ancestors, or is it that they just smelled awful and had not managed to find that crooked son of a bitch and tear his limbs off. There's no way the information has to be passed on that the rest of my family is currently missing in action. I'm the only one left in the coven and even if my strength is incomparable to any regular vampires, I don't trust the woman out for revenge to take this so lightly.

I just wish Alice could still see Bella's future. That we're being hunted by a past we thought we've already move past with and forgotten. A nightmare we all thought has already stopped. "Jade! Tell me, now!" And the girl couldn't stop asking me about the new monsters that horrified her soul at the fields. Tough luck, there's no way I'm gonna tell her about a secret I swore to take on my grave. I was bound never to reveal an ounce of secret that Quileutes had kept for a thousand years even if I feel like shit keeping this to her.

"I—I can't, Bella. I'm sorry." It's not my secret to tell.

"It's not bears—it's not! The creature my Dad was looking for! It's not a bear!" The words came out of her mouth soon when I held for the brakes and she bolted inside the door, my feet following in stride though before I could even take another step, my head whirled around to see if a wolf followed us on the way back. Holding my feet on the ground, ready to attack, when an old man went out the door, gray haired, glaring right at me with his god-awful stinking smell.

Either he is a wolf, or he knew about wolves. "Are you Cullen's back?" He asked before getting into his truck, eyes far away from me now while I stood by the hood of my car.

"No." I answered short, holding my breath from his insufferable smell.

"How did Bella see the shape-shifters?" He asked again, with voice filled with enough hatred to fuel a rage.

"There's an uninvited guest. Not from our coven. And I hope your boys took care of it by being fast enough." He scoffed at my words, shaking his head while I smirked at the way he looked at me as if I'm but a speck of dust in this town. I waved my hands teasingly as his truck bounded away, letting the air wash away their stank before coming up the porch, only to come across Charlie carrying a gun with all his police effects around him.

Also glaring at me.

"Can I trust you to not lead her anywhere close to the forest again?" The man inhaled sharply when I nodded coyly, knowing he'll find out my car sped through the city like I was freely racing on nascar. I guess I'm just gonna pretend to be sleeping every time he decides to talk to me. By then I wouldn't have to suffer the wrath of Charlie Swan.

My heel echoed on the steps inside the house, seeing Bella sat by the dinner table still looking spooked about the whole thing. The poor girl looked like she was close to losing her mind and I felt awful for lying to her like this. She's got enough monsters in her mind already. A werewolf as big as a horse is something going to be pretty unexpected, even to her.

Hell, it surprised me.

"Bells, you okay?" I asked, taking a seat by the couch, feet on the table while I compose myself and focus on the dark wolf we've come across with. I don't know why I couldn't see him — see what he'll do. I'm sure my abilities are still at par, I could still predict Bella storming in front of me right about — now.

"Why aren't you losing your shit about it?! There are wolves! Massive wolves in the forest! Shouldn't you be bothered?!" I sighed, tapping my hands next to me that she sat angrily, hands over her chest, exhaling very loudly at that. And I don't know how to word it exactly without violationg the rules. I've violated enough by roaming a little around their side of the woods once in a while, I don't think I could do more to ruin what we've all made so many years ago.

Quite frankly, I've forgotten about their existence years and years ago. I think there was only — one in the pack. That same jet-black wolf I seemed to forgot the name, and then, somehow, they grew to be five now! With the leader of the pack looking at me as if it wanted to bite my head off for coming back.

"I'm bound to an agreement, Bella Swan. And I think I've been a monster long enough not to freak out about wolves the size of your car." Bella didn't relax at the thought, and I'm not good at comforting words at all. "I think there's a big chance you'll know soon. You're a monster-magnet. Remember?" I think it's enough of a clue to give without letting it all out in the open. I was not actively trying to kill myself to tell a treaty beyond injunctions. "Will you be fine for a few hours? I have to hunt for a dumbass and you gotta sleep that off. You seem exhausted."

"Y-Yeah. I'm good." She looked at me, pursing her lips that I laid a comforting hands over her shoulder and tried to think twice. ""Go. I'll be fine. I'm just going to cook for Charlie and sleep. Just go by the window tonight so he'll think you're still here."

"Don't lose your shit, alright? You're gonna figure it all out pretty soon, I bet."

My feet automatically ran for the woods, never needing my car as to not have anything to think about if I get into an altercation. Besides, it's brand new. There's no way in hell I was gonna get a scratch on that car. It costs too much to risk crumpling over a vampire they failed to catch — or a wolf that's too heated to see a vampire again.

Not when I managed to piss off an elder a while ago.

I went back to the sight of where we once were, easily finding my way back and knowing it's a safe ground for me to be in since technically, it was kind of still out part of the territory. And some parts of the woods were Switzerland, as opposed to the treaty line still a little off ways from here. And I'm allowed to be here, according to the rules. So, I wonder how the wolves went away of their ways to find Laurent and I...

The only reason I could think about was that the thought all the Cullen's were finally gone, and it's a safe ground to be everywhere and anywhere once the other side of it was gone. Another bad luck for the wolves — because one Cullen is not gonna go far from here according to the level of care for a frail girl that would probably scream at night again without a Cullen in her sight. I just couldn't stomach the fact that if I left her alone — her nightmare's going to continue and I've been in a heartbreak long enough to find out how shitty that is.

I sighed, coming back to the meadows and sensing their musky scent almost everywhere. But I focused on the distinct vampire smell still looming over the clearing. Retracing all the steps Laurent has made just so I could have a clear sense of direction that once I found the way he jumped, I followed through it slowly. Eyes and ears trained on my surroundings, the smell of it doubling it was too overwhelming to concetrate too much on it.

Maybe that's why I never became a tracker. I'm impatient, born and bred to overreact and complain about a lot of things all while braving through a lot of things.

My mind was going off of the path again, shaking the thoughts off while I try to focus my head on the game. He still might be lurking around somewhere — or possibly dead if I was still trying to be an optimist. Because his scent became stronger now, like he's close — too close that my eyes scoured around the roots and weeds, to the muddied ground around me until it caught sight of a torn piece of clothing.

Purple silk, belonging to a man who tried to have an exquisite taste for fashion.

I held on to it, sniffing heavily until the scent became more prominent while I followed my east, closer and closer until I reached a spot large enough to have all his pieces of silk scattered around like confetti, "Shit." I muttered soon when I heard heavy footsteps behind me. Not from a man, obviously, but from a creature with quadrupeds nature. So distinct, and so smelly.

Meaning — the big dogs are near.

"I'm not here for trouble." It was enough of a sound for it to hear me when I raise my hands, showing the piece of clothing I was holding on with my left hand. "I wanted to know if that son of a bitch is dead." A wolf leaped from behind the bushes, stopping dead in front of me while snarling wild. This was one dark gray, and from the sun coming down did it look darker while speckled with white amidst it. The wolf stalked closer, snarling at me while I still concentrate whether or not I could anticipate it's move.

I didn't.

"Did you kill it?" It breathed out, heavily and turned to run. I opened my mouth to say something when it snarled again, looking back at me that it bobbed its head and I followed immediately, confident it'll not kill me yet as it led me deep in the woods, seemingly that Laurent reached far before we stopped in a clearing and witnessed a sight of the vampire — or what once was a vampire whereas now it's scattered limb to limb, almost indiscernable if it wasn't for the purple silk still littering around its parts. "Good job." I say, clapping slowly in attempt of sarcasm towards the proud dog who's now growling at me now. "Thought for a second there you're a bad predator for your height." I held up a gesture, letting go of the cloth on my hand while I think about risking a forest fire while I burn up the pieces of Laurent — or leave it to rot for all eternity.

The dog growled again, this time near my left cheek that I looked at it incredulously. "What?" It's two feet down on the ground as if ready to attack that I looked around and sense not one vampire around me. There — it dawned on me that he was not sensing more of my kind, he wanted to challenge me. A silly dog with enough confidence and fever dream to defeat a vampire.

"I don't exactly read minds but right now you might be thinking I'm as weak as this son of a bitch—and you're wrong." The wolf slashed about, in close proximity to me that I smirked. "Fine. I'll give you a taste of your medicine. In one condition." Its head suddenly bobbed, "No treaty will be broken. It's just a friendly fight you coordinated to prove a certain—dog dominance. Say it on your mind. Now." The wolf began to growl after a second that I laughed, taking a stance while still not believing I was gonna fight a wolf just because it challenged me.

How the hell did this not happened to Emmett and I before? This sounds fun.

"Ready, dog?" I say once I reached the other side of the field and cocked my head on the side, cracking my knuckles for a mere second before it ran with a speed as fast as car that I was still able to catch it around its neck, holding it back in their natural weakness and hauling it away to a nearby tree.

It whimpered and shuffled its fur, growling agressively as its confidence still went through I knew I was gonna have fun at it when it butted its head in me and threw me to the side, stopping the momentum when I cirled and held on the ground. Taking it as a chance to be a blur in its vision when I ran, using the tree to my advantage before my fist collided straight at its head, the surprise of the wolf was another unguarded stance when I brought it in a hold while it thrash around so violently. "Come on, you can do better than that!" I stepped away, letting him recover from that embarrassing feet and gesturing my two fingers to let him come to me.

It's sharp teeth bearing wildly unto me until my fist collided on it again and he hit a tree - again. It was becoming boring at that point. "You're too aggressive, dog. You lack technique. I really wonder now if you really killed this vampire or someone had at it before you did."

I came close to its weakened state, holding my hand out as a truce — only for a force to sent me flying towards another tree, my head grumbling loud from the mere force all while locking me in between, dead on the ground, while snarling feverishly right at my face.

I was about to say something offensive, something their tribe would not forget in a million years nor something their elders would have to apologize for thei ancestors about but that thought went away when — it happened.

Something I couldn't quite... explain. Like a pain excruciatingly hitting my stomach. Like my head was suddenly dizzy, my whole world revolving around the center of gravity. Shifting two separate worlds together in one big pile of mush that for the first time in a hundred years, I wanted to vomit. My knees weakened, my hands felt crummy, and the anger I was holding on to was thrown out of the window.

The wolf in front of me freezed that same that I did, my breathing suddenly having its use when I heaved.

My mind reeled on one thing — and one thing only soon as the realization crept up to my spine worst than anticipation could ever do. Maybe this was the reason I couldn't see anything, the reason I never see a wolf in my vision, the reason why I couldn't identify its every move. It was not my abilities being faulty, it wasn't even — me.

It's the goddamn wolf right in front of me, cowering down like a lost puppy — all while it imprinted his whole world around mine.


End file.
